Fuel burner



July .28, 1925. f 1,547,739

' J. A. DE VILBlss A FUEL BURNER Filed July 3o 1924 2 sheets-sheet 1 X v l" Il um /47 -r-roE NE 5 ,federated duly 28, i925,

stares laidl earner l JOVEN A.. DE VLBISS, F ST. IO'US, MICSSOURI, ASSIGNOR TO GEORGE F. ERNST, GF l ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

runt. BURNER.. 1

Application filed July 30, 1924. Serial No. 729,105.

To a-ZZ whom t may comer/n.'

Be it known that l JOHN A. DE Vinelss.y a citizen of the United States, residing at St. Louis, Missouri, have invented a certain 5 new and useful Improvement in Fuel Burners, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description,A such as will enable others skilledl in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to burners ofthe kind that are used for burning crude oil, distillate and other low gravityliquid fuel and also pulverized solid fuel.

The mainv object oft-he invention is to provide a compact burner of simple construction that will eifectively burn heavy liquid fuel and .pulverized solid fuel Without leaving a carbon deposit that reduces the ef! iciency of the-burner o-r interfereswth the operation of same. v v v Another object is to provide 'a practicable fuel burner, vcapable of use with small heating plants, which is so constructed 'that it will convert low gravity liquid fuel or pulverized solid Ifuel into a gas and thereafter mix said gas with air in a combustionchamber to produce a blue name.

And still another object is to provide a fuel burner of the rotary type in which the rotatable member of theburner is of such size that it can be used successfully for operating a small heating plant, and 'can be driven by a small electric motor. @ther objects and desirable features of my invention will be herneinafter pointed out.

y "lon this end l have devised a fuel burner which, in its simplest form, consists of a y highly heated vaporizing chamber, means for introducing fuel or fuel and Water into said chamber so asto effect gasification of the fuel, an outlet 1n said chamber through which the gas escapes, and means for mixing air with said gas so as to produce a dame. Generally the burner will consist of a rotatable member arranged so that it will be maintained' at a high temperature by the :dame produced by the burner and provided on its interior With a` slightly tapered vaporizing surface of frusto-conical shape in general form, means for introducing fuel or fuel and water into said member adjacent the small end of said tapered vaporizin surface and distributing the same over sai surface in the form of small particles, a means which tends to confine the particles of fuel or fuel and Water on said vaporizing surface While the same are traveling over said surface, the

vtaper of said vaporizing surface andv the length of same being such that complete vaporization or gasification of the fuel is effected on the interior of the rotatable member, gas ports leading from the interior of said v member through which the gases evolved in said member escape, and means for mixing air with the escaping gases lina combustion chamber that surrounds the rbtatable member, so as to produce a llame which is-directed over the exterior of said rotatable member in a direction opposite to the path of travel of the fuel and gases through said member. The shape and construction of the rotatable member' of the burner can be varied considerably without departing from the spirit of my invention; Usually, it will consist of a substantially cup-shaped member having a tapered side ivall Whose inner face constitutes a Vaporizing surface and arranged inside of a combustionv chamber With the smallend of saidl member presented towards the outlet of the combustion chamber. The means i that is used to confine the particles of fuel or fuel and water on the tapered vaporizingsurface of the rotatable member of the'ourner while said particles are traveling towards the ports through which the evolved gases lescape into the combustion chamber can also be constructed in various Ways Without departing from the spirit of my invention. essence it'consists of any means which will maintain the particles of-fuelfy and Water in suiiciently close proximity to the vaporizing v surface of the rotatable membervwhile said particles are traveling over said surface to insure vaporization or gasification of said. particles by the heat which radiates inwardly from said surface. the form of my invention herein illustrated, which is desi 4ed to burn oil, a substantially cone-shape member is arranged on the interior ofthe cupshaped member` of the burner in close proximity to the tapered side wall of same so as to form a tapered vaporizing chamber or pas-I sagewav throughV which the fuel 'and gas travel longitudinally of the rotatable member of the burner towards the gas ports at the. large end of said member, the :exterior of said cone being close enough to the inner face ofthe side wall of the cup so that when the particleg of fuel, and water assume` globupss , same against the exterior of the cone and be thrown by same back against the Vaporizing surface, the rotary movement of the' vaporizing surface causing theifuel or fuel and Water to travel towards the gas discharge' ports. Obviously, various other means than the cone-shaped member above referred to could be used to confine the fuel on the vvaporizing surface orv maintain the fuel in sufficiently close proximity to said surface to effect complete gasification of the fuel, and therefore.J l Wish it to be understood that my invention is not limited to a burner of the particular construction herein illustrated., A fan or any other suitable means is used to create ablast of air in the combustion chamber and cause the flame produced bythe admixture ofthe gas with air to flow longitudinally over the exterior of the rotatable member. When the burner is used for operating a small heating apparat-us, such, for example, as the heating apparatus of a dwelling, the rotatable mene ber can be revolved by a small electric motor which is also used to drive the fan that creates ,a blast in the combustion chamber inside of which the rotatable kmember of the burner is arranged. While l have stated that water is preferably introduced with the fuel into the interior of the rotatable member ofthe burner, this is not always necessary with some kinds of fuel, but it is essen-y tialthat Water be introduced with the fuel.l

when the burner is being operated with low gravity fuel, in order to cause the tar and other heavy constituents of the fuel to be disintegrated, due to the presence of the water, and thus not leave a deposit on the burner that reduces the efficiency of same or interferes With the operation of the burner. Figure 1 of the dra-Wings is a longitudinal sectional view of an oil burning apparatus constructed in accordance with my invention. .Figure 2 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional View of the burner; and

Figure 3 is an end view of the burner, looking from the right hand end of Figure 2. In Figure 1 of thevdrawings A designates an electric motor arranged inside of a housing B and provided with a drive shaft C that is used to operate a fan D and a rotatable member,- designated as an entirety by the reference character E, that is provided on its interior With a vaporizing surface 1 of relatively great area on which fuelor fuel and Water is deposited in the form of small particles. The rotatable member E is arranged in proximity to the fire box of the apparatus with which the burner is used and is mounted upon and rigidly connected to the drive shaft C so that it Will revolve. with same., As shown in Figure 1, the member E is arranged in front of a tubular pormaare@ -With fuel discharge ports 1b.

tion 2l on the front side of the fan housing B', through which air is forced by the fan as 'hereinafter described Will escape vfrom same and mix with air, thus producing a flame that flows longitudinally over the, eX- terior of the member E towards or into the fire box zr, of the apparatus. Preferably, the member E is arranged inside of a stationary sleeve 3 that constitutes a combustionI chamber and which confines the flame around the member E, thereby`insuring said member being maintained at a high temperature, when the burner is in use. As shown in Figure 1, the sleeve 3 projects into the fire box a' through the front'wall 4 of said fire box.

ln the form of my invention herein shown the rotatable member E comprises a cupshaped element 5 provided with a tapered side Wall Whose inner face constitutes the vaporizing surface 1 yof the member E, and a cone or frusto-conical shaped element 6 is arranged inside of said cup-shaped element so asto maintain the particles of fuel or fuel and Water in suciently close proximity to the vaporizing surface While said particles and the -interior of the side Wall of the cup \5 co-operating With eachother to form a tapered vaporizing chamber o'r passageway 1a that has a side wall inclined at a ,slight angleand which is provided at its large end` SaidA elements 5 and are connected together so as torevolve asia single unit, and said unit is atlun tached in any suitable Way to the drive shaft y C, as, for eXample, by an externally screwthreaded portion 7 on the end of said shaft that is screwed into the base or large end of the cone 6. The cone 6 of the member E is provided at its base end with an annular rib, flange or thickened portion 8 that is externally threaded so as to co-operate with in` ternal screw threads on the cup 5 of the member E, thereby causing said cup to be supported by the cone 6 and held inA rigid relationship with the same. In the burner herein shown, which is designed to be operated by oil, liquid fuel is introduced into the passageway 1 of themember E preferably through a-tube -9 that is stationarily mounted and which is positioned inside of the drive shaft C, said fuel tube 9 extending forwardly through a center bore of the cone 6 and terminating atthe inner end of the vaporizing chamber' or passageway la. as shown more clearly in Figure 2. vln order that heavy or low gravity fuel may be used in the burner, a waterpipe 10 is arranged inside of the fucl tube 9 so as to permit Water to be introduccdinto the passageway from forming and collecting on said passageway, or `in the vaporizing surface 1, the rotary movement of the member E causing the water to be spread in a thin film over the -vaporizing surface 1. While I have herein illustrated the rotatable member E of the burner as'being composed of a substantially cone-shaped member arranged inside of a substantially cup-shaped memberl and spaced away from same slightly so as to form a vaporizing chamber having a ta-l pered wall on which the particles of fuel or fuel and water are deposited and thereafter maintained in Asuiiciently close pr'oximity to same to cause vaporization or gasificationof the fuel by the heat whichr'adi'- ates from said wall, it is not essentialthat the member E be constructed in this particular manner. The essential thing. when the burner lis intended to be operated by heavy liquid fuel, is that the member E be of comparatively small size, that it be provided onA its interior with a'tapered vaporizing surtace of such angl-e that the fuel will move over same slowly and that a means be associated with said vaporizinfr surface for causing the fuel to remain in sufficent-ly close proximity to said surface, while traveling over the same. to effect vanorization or gasification of the fuel, before it reaches the ports 1h or other point at which the gas es- 2 capes from the interior'of'the member E. Obviously, any means that has a tendency to hold the particles ofy fuel or fuel and water on the vaporizingf surface' or in close proximity to same while said particles .are traveling over said surface would accomplish the same result as the cone t3 ofthe burner herein shown, and accordingly, my invention should be construed as not being limited to the use of a cone or other similar solid member arranged in proximity to the vaporizing surfaceQ y In order to insure a thorough mixing of the gas that escapes from the member E with the air that is forced into the combustion chamber surrounding said member. I prefer to equip the member E with radiallydisposed vanesor blades 11 arranged ata lpoint in proximity to the gas discharge ports 1b in the cup- 5 throughwhich gas escapes from the vaporizing passageway 1L when the member E is revolving, and also form air ports 12 in the base end, portion of the cone 6 at a point in .proximity to the gas ports 1b in the cup 5, the base end of the cone 6 being provided with a recess,'as shown in Figure 2, so as to `permit air tol enter ,saidrecess and 'then flowfradially` from same through thev air and gas ports 12, andrlb respectively in the member E.

Gas inlet ports 13 are preferably formed in the end wall 5a of the cup 5, so as topermit gas to be drawn into 'the Ifuel ypassageway 1a from' the combustion chamber surround-ing IEB th'e member E by the suction that exists in said passagewayl when the member E is revolving, said gas operating to heat the fuel in the passageway la. lf desired, air

ports 14 can be arranged at the outer end of 7" the sleeve 3 which surrounds the member E so as'to cause air to'k be drawn into the annular combustion chamber surrounding the member E by the vsuction created by the flame which travels forwardly through said 7"' `can be arranged in the vap'orizing passa e- Way la in the *member E adjacent the discharge end of said passageway, as shown in Figure 2, so as to create a suction in the .57 passageway 1a ltowards the fuel discharge [ports leading from same.

vvWhen the burner is in operation the member.-E will revolve at a high speed, and the liquid fuel and water which are admitted im to the inner end of the passageway 1* in said member by the fuel tube 9 and water ltube 10, will be deposited on the vaporiing surfacel 1 in the form of small particles and caused to travel over said surface towards if" the discharge end of the passageway 1, due tothe centrifugal force produced by the rotary movement of the member E. As said member E 4is arranged inside of a combustion chamber and is surrounded` by a gas.

ame that flows longitudinally over the exterior of said member in a direction opposite to the How of the fuel and gas on the inte- ;r1or of the member E, the fuel and gas, in

traveling through the passagewayA 1* of 105 said member, will be heated to such a high temperaturey that the gas escaping. through the ports 1b will mix readily with the air flowing radially through the air ports 12 and the air flowing forwardly between the vblades or Vanes 11 on the member E, thus forming a combustible mixture of the correct proportions to produce a blue flame. In case the Iair being supplied isnot Sulli-` cient to prduce a blue flame, the damper 15 can be opened further so as to admit additional air through the air ports 14, said damper 15 being adapted to be adjusted in the same way as the air regulating device of the conventional Buns'en burnerI` so as to accurately regulate the supply of air to the burner. As shown in Figure 2, the base end or large end of the rotatable member E is preferably arranged inside of the lfront end portion of the tubular part 2 on the yfan housing, so yas to cause the gas which escapes lll) jected' forwardly from same by the blast of 130 all;

air discharged forwardlthrough said tubular portion by the fan Practicallyany grade of liquid fuel can be burned success-" member E through the water pipe 10 simultaneously with the admission of fuel to said v passageway through the fuel tube 9.

While l have herein illustrated my invention embodied in a device that is adapted to be used for burning oil, I wish it to be. understood that 'my invention is applicable to a device that is used for burning powdered or lpulverized fuel, such as coal dust, 4'the only substantial change required to convert the device from a liquid fuelA burner to a pulverized fuel burner being in the means that is used for introducingthe f'uel into the rotatable member of the device. Accordingly, in construing the claims they 'should be interpreted to cover a device that is used forburning either liquid fuel or pulverized solid fuel.

Having thus described my inventin, what l claim as new and desire t secure by Letters Patent is:`

1. A fuel'burner, comprising a substantjally cylindrical-shaped, rotatable member tapered slightly and closed at its' small end, means for rotating said member when the burner is in operation', means for introducing fuel "into said member adjacent the small y end of same and depositing said fuel ony the inner face of the tapered side wall of said member, means for causing said fuel to remain in close proximity to said side Wall while it is traveling towards the large end of said member so as to effect gasification ci said fuel, gas ports leading yfrom the inter-1 ior of said member adjacent the large end of same through which the gas evolved from the 'fuel escapes, and means'formixing air with said gas to produce a flame and directn ing said dame longitudinally.I of said rotatable member over` the exterior ot same te maintain the side wall of said member at a high temperature.

2. A. fuel burner, comprising a {substantially cylindricaleshaped, rotatable member tapered slightly and clesed its small end, means for rotating said member when the burner is in operation, means for introducing' fuel into said member adiacent the smallL end of same and depositing fuel on the inner tace ci@ the 'tapered side wall et 'said member, means *for causing said fuel te renaarmate main in close lproximity to said side wall while it is traveling towards the large end of said member, whereby said fuel will be gasiied, gas ports leading from the interior of said member adjacent the large end of same through which the, gas evolved from the fuel escapes, means for mixing air with the gas issuing' through said ports, a combustion chamber surrounding said rotatable member into 'which said gaseous mixture passes and arranged to discharge into a fire box or the like, and Imeans for causing the flame in said combustion chamber to iiow longitudinally over the exterior of said ro tatable member in a direction opposite to 'the tlow of the fuel and gas through said member. A i v 3.- An oil burner, comprising a rotatable member provided on its interior" with Ia tapered vaprizing chamber, means for rotating said member when the burner -is in operation, means' for introducing fuel into said chamber adjacent the small end of same and distributing said fuel overthe inner surface of the tapered side wall of said chamber, said side wall being of such length and being maintainedl at a suiciently high temperature to cause the fuel to be gasi ed, gas ports leading from the large end of said chamber through which the gas evolved in saidchamber escapes, and means for producing a blast of air that is directed past said gas ports and longitudinally over the exterior of said rotatable member in a di-` rection opposite to the flow of the fuel and gas through the vaporizing chamber.

4. Al fuel burner, comprising a combustion chamber open at one end and arranged so that it discharges into a fire box or the like, a rotatable member inside of said combustion chamber provided on its interior with a tapered vaporizing chamber, means lor rotating said member when they burner is in operation, means jfor introducing fuel into said chamber adjacent the small end 'y of same and distributing said tuel over the inner surface of the tapered side wall of said chamber, wherebysaid 'fuel will be xconverted into .a gas while traveling through said chamber, gas outlet ports leading from the large end of said vaporizing chamber into the combustion chamber, gas inlet ports in the small end of said vaporizing chamber through which gases can enter said chamber from the `combustion chamber, and means for blewing air into said combustion chamber so as to cause the flame produced by the gas escaping from the vaporizing chamber to tlow longitudinally over the exterior or' said rotatable member in a direction opposite to the ilow et' the "Enel, and gas through the vaperiaing chamber.

5. A' fuel burner, cemprising a rotatable mem er ir vi 'n iv i efe vih a b i o ded o ts intiior vit vaporizing surface having a slight taper,

means for rotating said member when the burner is in operation, means for depositr ing water and fuel on said vaporizing' surface adjacent the small end of same, said member being so constructedthat the fuel and water will be held in sufficiently'close proximity to said vaporizing` surface, while traveling over same, to become vaporized by the heat radiating from said surface, gas ports in said member adjacent the large end of said vaporizing surface through which the gas evolved inside of said member escapes, and means for mixing air with said gas and causing the resultantflame to flow around the exterior of said member, thereby causing said vaporizing surface to be maintained ata high temperature.

6. A fuel burner, comprising a rotatable member provided on its interior with a vaporizing surface of such shape that fuel introduced into one end of said member will travel,slowly towards the opposite end of same when said member is in rotation, meansv for rotating said member when the burner,v

is in operation, means for introducing fuel and water into one end of said member and depositing same in theform of small particles on thel vaporizing surface of said member, gas ports in said member located adjacent the opposite end of same', a'means on the interior of said member for insuring the articles vof'fuel and water combining and ecoming gasied `in traveling through said member towards said ports, and means for\ mixing air with the gas escaping through said gas ports and causing the resultant flame to travel-longitudinally over the exterior of said member inl a direction-opposite to the flow of the gas and fuel through said member. j

7. A fuel burner, `comprising a rotatable member provided with a slightly tapered,

o lindrical side wall, said member being c osed at its small end and provided adjacent its large end with gas ports that lead from the interior of said member, means for rotating said member when the burner is in operation, means forintroducing fuel and water into the interior of said member adjacent the small end of same, the rotary movement of said member causing the fuel and water to be deposited in the form of small particles on the inner face of said side wall vand thereafter moved longitudinally of said member towards said gas ports, a

1 means which tends to confine the vparticles' of fuel and water on the inner face of said l side wall while they are being gasified by the heat from said wall,-a combustion chamber surrounding sald rotary member into which gas flows from the lnterior of said member and arranged to discharge into a fire box orwthe like, and means for supplying air yto said combustion chamber' so as to produce a flame which flows long1tud1nally over the exterior of said rotatable member in al direction op-l posite to the How of the fuel and gas through said member. l

8. A fuel burner, comprising a combustion chamber arranged to discharge into a fire box or the like and provided at its opposite end with air inlets, a substantially cupshaped, rotatable member in sai'd combustion chamber provided with a tapered side wall andl arranged with its small end presented towards the outlet of said combustionchamber, vmeans for rotatingl said member when the burner 1s 1n operation, a substantially cone-shaped member-inside of said' cup-shaped member arranged in close proximity to the tapered side Wall of same so as to form a. tapered vaporizing chamber, means for introducing fuel and water into said vaporizing chamber adjacent the small end of same,l the heat to whichsaid fuel is subjected while I traveling 'through said chamber causingit to become gasilied, and

means for causing the flame in lthe combus-` tion chamber, produced by the admixture of .air with the gas escaping lfrom the ports yof the vaporizing chamber, to flow longitudinally over the exterior of said rotatable member. y

9. A fuel burner, comprising a member provided on its interior with a gasifying chamber, said member being so arranged that it will. be maintained at a high temperature by the flame produced by 'the burner, means for introducing fuel intosaid chamber and converting it into a 'gas in said chamber, an outlet from said chamber through which said gas escapes, means for mixing air with the gas that escapes from said chamber so as to produce a flame, and means for rotating said member when the burner is in operation. l

10. A fuel burner, comprising a Vaporizing chamber, means for rotating said chamber when the burner is in operation, said chamber being so arranged that it will be maintained at a high temperature by the flame produced by the burner, means for introducing fuel and water into said chamber and causing the said fuel and water to pass over the same vaporizing surface on the interior of said chamber, whereby the fuel y will be gasifed in said chamber, and an outlet from said chamber through which the gas escapes and mixes with air so as to produce a flame.

AJOHN ann vILnIss. 

